Reclining chair including improved seat control



Sept. 26, 1961 P. s. FLETCHER 3,001,819

RECLINING CHAIR INCLUDING IMPROVED SEAT CONTROL Original Filed May 31. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG; I.

INVENTOR. PETER \S. FLETCHER.

p 1951 P. s. FLETCHER 3,001,819

RECLINING CHAIR INCLUDING IMPROVED SEAT CONTROL Original Filed May 31, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. PETER. S. FLETCHER,

brralewsvs The present invention relates generally to reclining chairs, and in particular to an improved control arrangement for such reclining chair. This is a continuation of my earlier filed application Serial No. 662,811 filed May 31, 1957 and entitled Leg-Rest and Self-Actuating Control Arrangement for Reclining Chair.

A typical reclining chair comprises a support and bodysupporting means including a back-rest and seat movably mounted on the support for movement into various reclined positions. The body-supporting means of such chair may incorporate a unitary back-rest and seat or may incorporate a back-rest and seat movably mounted for reclining and inclining movement respectively as the body-supporting means moves into the various reclined positions. Such chairs further include a leg-rest disposed beneath the forward end of the seat, with provision for coordinating the movement of the leg-rest into various elevated leg-supporting positions in response to movement of the body-supporting means into the various reclined positions.

Many different types of control arrangements are known for guiding the body-supporting means, with or without provision for relative movement of the seat in relation to the hack-rest and for moving the leg-rest to the required elevated leg-supporting position. In most of these control arrangements, any change in the guiding action on the body-supporting means brings about a change in the guiding action on the leg-rest, and con versely any change in the guiding action on the leg-rest, brings about a change in the guiding action on the bodysupporting means. However, it is often desirable to be able to establish essentially independent control or guiding actions for the body-supporting means. and the legrest, except for the general coordination, to wit the elevation of the leg-rest incident to the movement of the bodysupporting means relative to the support. For example, it may be desirable to vary the pitch or upward inclination of the seat responsive to reclining movement or change the balance characteristics, without effecting the established path or degree-of elevation of the leg-rest.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved control arrangement for reclining chairs realizing one or more of the aforesaid objectives. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide for an improved control means for the body-supporting means of a reclining chair which may readily be adapted to vary the guiding action on the bodysupporting means, but which does not effect the guiding action on the leg-rest.

It is -a further object of the present invention to provide an improved control means for a reclining chair which exhibits a high order of flexibility and adaptability in the guiding actions on the body-supporting means thereof, without necessarily altering the guiding action on the legrest thereof.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demon strating features and advantages of the present invention my improved reclining chair comprises a support, bodysupporting means including a back-rest and seat and. means movably mounting the body-supporting means for movement relative to the support. In accordance with the present invention control means are operatively connected to the seat of the body-supporting means for at cm: O

least partially guiding thermovement thereof, with the control means including a four-bar control linkage having the seat as one movable link thereof and means pivotally connecting the link of the four-bar control linkage opposite the seat to the support. By varying the position of the pivotal connection of the link to the support, it is possible to vary the guiding action of the seat control without aifecting the guiding action of the leg-rest control. Advantageously, my improved control arrangement finds application in reclining chairs of the type including a movable back-rest and movable seat and in reclining chairs of the type including a unitary back-rest and seat.

The above brief description, as well as further features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of several presently preferred, but illustrative, embodiments according to the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a reclining chair demonstrating features of the present invention, with a portion of the adjacent side wall of the chair broken away to disclose the details of the control means at the adjacent side of the chair, and with the chair shown in an upright or sitting position;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic showing of the control means employed at each side of the chair in FIG. 1 for coodinating the movement of the seat and leg-rest of the chair to the back-rest thereof, the control means being illustrated in its condition when the chair is in the upright or sitting position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, similar to FIG. 1, but showing the chair in a fully reclined position, with the seat thereof at a prescribed inclination and the legrest moved to an elevated leg-supporting position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of reclining chair demonstrating further features of the present invention and incorporating a unitary bodysupporting unit, with a portion of the adjacent side Walls of the chair broken away to disclose the details of the control means at the adjacent side of the chair,and with the chair shown in the upright or sitting position;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic showing of the control means employed at each side of the chair shown in FIG. 4 with the control means being illustrated in its condition when the chair is in the upright or sitting position; and,

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, similar to FIG. 4, but showing the reclining chair in a fully reclining position with the body-supporting unit thereof tilted back to a prescribed attitude and with the leg-rest moved to an elevated leg-supporting position.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive an improved reclining chair demonstrating features of the present invention, generally designated by the reference number 10, which comprises a support or frame 12 upon which is movably.

mounted a body-supporting means 14 having a movable seat 16 and a movable back-rest 18. Disposed adjacent to and beneath the forward end of the seat, is a leg-rest 20 which is mounted for coordinated movement to various leg-supporting positions in response to the rearward movement of the seat 16 relative to the support 12. Identical linkage mechanisms are employed at each side of the chair for coordinating the movement of the backrest 18, the seat 16 and the leg-rest 20 and accordingly it will suflice to describe only one of the linkage mechanisms in detail.

The back-rest 18 of the body-supporting means 14 is movably mounted on the support 12 at a back-rest pivot 22 by means of appropriate mounting bracket 24 to the adjacent side of the chair frame or support 12. The seat 16 is mounted for inclining movement relative to the support 12 by a rearwardly directed hanger arm 26 which is rigidly connected to the seat 16 and carries a seat pivot 23, the seat pivot 23 being pivotally connected to the backrest 18 at a point spaced above and forwardly of the back-rest pivot 22 on the support.

Suitable stops are arranged to establish the upright or sitting position for the chair, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the reclined position of the chair, as shown in FIG. 3. Specifically one of the cross braces 30 of the chair frame 12 abuts one of the links 50 of the leg-rest mounting linkage and maintains the seat 16 and the back-rest 13 in the requisite relationship for establishing the sitting position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and a stop 27 is fixed between the opposite sides of the frame or support 12 at a location below the back-rest pivot 22 and in a position to abut the lowermost end of the back-rest 18 after rearward reclining movement thereof through a prescribed arcuate traverse such as to establish the reclining position, with the requisite angular relationship between the seat 16 and the back-rest 18.

Operatively connected between the forward portion of the seat 16 and the leg-rest is a control arrangement, generally designated by the reference numeral 32, which is arranged to guide the seat 16 relative to the support 12 into various inclined positions and to move the leg-rest 20 upwardly and outwardly in response to movement of the seat relative to the support into various elevated legsupporting positions. The control means or arrangement includes a first or rear guiding link 34 having a first pivotal connection 42 to the seat, a second or front guiding link 38 spaced from the first link 34 and having a second pivotal connection 46 to the seat 16 spaced from the first pivotal connection 42, and a third or connecting link 36 having respective pivotal connections 44, 50 to the first and second links 34, 38 at points spaced from the first and second pivotal connections 42, 46. The first link 34, the second link 38, the third link 36 and the portion of the seat 16, intermediate the pivotal connections 42, 46 constitute a four-bar control linkage for the seat 16, with the link 36 opposite the seat having a pivotal mount 52 intermediate its ends on the support 12 by a bracket 54. The disposition of the pivotal mount 52 for the four-bar seat control linkage along the link 36 serves as a means for controlling the degree of inclination of the seat 16 in response to a fixed increment of reclining movement of the back-rest 18. Specifically, if the pivotal mount 52 is moved more forwardly, that is toward the pivotal connection 50 of the link 36 with the link 38, the degree of in clination of the seat 16 in response to a fixed increment of reclining movement of the back-rest 13 will be decreased and consequently the seat will have a lesser pitch. Conversely, movement of the pivotal mount 52 toward the pivotal connection 44 between the link 36 and the link 34 will increase the inclination of the seat for said fixed increment of reclining movement of the back-rest, with a corresponding increase in the pitch of the seat.

The seat-control linkage thus described serves also as part of the leg-rest mounting and control arrangement for the chair with the links 34, 36 serving as a first link pair thereof and the links 33, 49 serving as a second link pair thereof. The links 34, 36 of the first link pair have a pivotal interconnection 44 therebctween while the links 38, 40 have a pivotal interconnection 48. One link of the first link pair 34, 36 has a pivotal connection to one link of the second link pair 38, 40; and one of these pivotally connected links has a further pivotal connection to the support 12 whereby in response to the rearward movement of the seat 16, relative to the support 12, the leg-rest 20 is translated upwardly and outwardly relative to the seat. In this form of the invention, the forward end of the second link 36 is arranged to extend to the first link 38 and at this point there is provided a pivotal connection 50 between the respective links 36, 38. Further the pivotal mount 52, intermediate the ends of the links 36 serves as the pivotal connection ofone of the pivotally connected links of the respective link pairs to the support. The respective link pairs 34, 36 and 38, 40 have operative connections to the legrest 20 at spaced apart locations. In this form of the invention, third and fourth link pairs 69, 62 and 70, 72 are employed to make the operative connections from the link 36 to the leg-rest at the pivotal connection 56, while a fifth link pair 86, 82 is employed to make the operative connection from the link 40 to the leg-rest 20 at the pivotal connection 58 spaced from the pivotal connection 56. The link 6%} of the third link pair has a pivotal connection 64 at its upper end to the link 36 intermediate the pivotal connection 44 and the pivotal mount 52 and further has a pivotal connection 66 at its lower end to the rearward end of link 62. The link 62 has a pivotal connection 68 intermediate its ends to the link 38 at a location where the link 62 crosses behind the link 38. The second link 62 of the third link pair 60, 62 is connected to the first link '79 of the fourth link pair 70, 72 at the pivot 74. The link 7% of the fourth link pair passes behind and has a pivotal connection 76 to the link 40 and has a pivotal connection 78 to the lower and rearward end of the link 72, which link passes behind the link 89 and has a pivotal connection 84 thereto. Finally the link 80 of the fifth link pair 89, 82 has its upper end pivotally connected to the upper and forward end of the link 40 at pivot 86 and has at its lower end a pivotal connection 88 to the adjacent lower and rearward end of the link 82.

In order to more fully appreciate the details of the invention, a typical sequence of operations will now be described:

When the user is seated in the chair in the upright or sitting position of FIG. 1 and leans backwardly, the seat 16 is translated rearwardly relative to the support along with the back-rest 18 toward the reclined position illustrated in FIG. 3. In response to the rearward displacement of the seat 16, the spaced pivotal connections 42, 46 of the four-bar seat control linkage are moved rearwardly, with the link 36 turning about the pivotal mount 52 on the support in a direction such that the pivot connections 44, 64 to one side thereof translate downwardly and the pivotal connection 50 to the other side thereof translates upwardly. The turning movement of link 36 about the pivotal mount 52 causes the requisite inclining movement to be imparted to the seat, and via the respective link pairs 60, 62, 70, 72, and 80, 82 is effective to move the leg-rest into the elevated leg-supporting position as shown in FIG. 3. The rearward movement of the body-supporting means 14 is limited by the back-rest 18 coming into contact with the stop 27. The chair may be restored from the reclining position illustrated in FIG. 3 to the upright or sitting position shown in FIG. 1 by exerting a slight downward pressure against the leg-rest 2t) and leaning forward in the chair to effect operation of the described linkages.

Referrin now specifically to FIGS. 4 to 6 inclusive, there is shown a further embodiment of my invention as applied to a chair including a rigid seat and back-rest. Specifically, the chair includes a support or frame 112, body-supporting means 114 having a seat 116 rigid with a back-rest 118, and a leg-rest 120 disposed adjacent to and beneath the forward end of the seat 116 and mounted as hereinafter described for coordinated movement upwardly and outwardly in response to rear-ward movement of the seat 116 on the support 112.

The unitary seat and back-rest structure 114 is rockably mounted on the support 112 adjacent the rearward end of the seat 116 by means of 21 depending guiding roller 122 which is carried on the undersurface of the seat 116 and rides in a cam track 124 having an upper seating notch 124a, a lower seating notch 124b, and an intermediate downwardly inclined camrning surface 1240. The guiding roller 122 is adapted to be seated at either extremity of the cam track and is displaced out of the upper seating notch 124a when the user leans back in the seat and thereupon travels down the incline 124c into the lower seating notch 12411. In the normal and forward position of the seat 116 corresponding to the position wherein the back-rest 118 is substantially upright and the roller 122 is in the seating notch 124a, the link 138 bears against an appropriate stop 130 which extends between and is secured to the opposite sides of the support 122. In response to rearward pivoting of the unitary seat and back-rest structure 114, the seat 116 translates rearwardly and downwardly and in said rearward movement the roller enters the seating notch 1241i.

Operativelyconnected between the forward portion of the seat 116 and the leg-rest 120 is a control arrangement generally designated by the reference numeral 132, which is arranged to guide the body-supporting unit 14 relative to the support 112 into various tilted positions and to move the leg-rest 120 upwardly and outwardly in response to movement of the unit 114 relative to the support 112 into various elevated leg-supporting positions. The control means or arrangement includes a first or rear guiding link 134 having a first pivotal connection 142 to the seat 116, a second or front guiding link 138 spaced from the first link and having a second pivotal connection 146 to the seat spaced from the first pivotal connection 142, and a third or connecting link 136 having respective pivotal connections 144, 150 to the first and second links 134, 138 at points spaced from the first and second pivotal connections 142, 146. The first link 134, the second link 138, the third link 136 and the portion of the seat 116, intermediate the pivotal connections 142, 146 constitute a four-bar control linkage for the seat 116. The link 136 opposite the seat 116 has a forward extension 136a extending beyond pivotal connection 150 having a pivotal mount 152 on the support 112 via a bracket 154. The disposition of the pivotal mount 152 for the four-bar seat control linkage along the length of the link 136 serves as a means for controlling the tilting of the body-supporting unit 114.

The leg-rest mounting and control arrangement for the chair includes the links 134, 136 serving as a first link pair and the links 138, 140 serving as a second link pair thereof. The links 134, 136 of the first link pair have a pivotal interconnection 144 therebetween, while the links 138, 140 have a pivotal interconnection 148.

One link of the first link pair 134, 136 has a pivotal connection to one link of the second link pair 138, 140; and one of these pivotally connected links has a further pivotal connection to the support 112 whereby in re sponse to rearward movement of the seat 116 relative to the support 132, the leg-rest 120 is translated upwardly and outwardly relative to the seat 116. In this illustrative embodiment, the second link 136 of the first link pair is arranged to cross over the first link 138 of the second link pair and at this crossover point there is the pivotal connection 156 between the respective links 136, 138. Further, the pivotal connection 152 is provided between the link 136 and the adjacent side of the support at the bracket or fixture 154.

The respective link pairs 134, 136 and 138, 1411 have operative connections to the leg-rest 120 at spaced apart locations. A third link pair 160, 162 is employed to make the operative connection from the link 136 of the first link pair to the leg-rest 120 at the pivotal connection 158; while the link 140 of the second link pair is directly connected at the pivotal connection 156 spaced above the pivotal connection 158. The link 160 of the third link pair has a pivotal connection 164 at its upper end to the adjacent forward end of the link 136, has a pivotal connection 166 at its lower end to the rearward end of the link 162, and has a pivotal connection 168 to the link 140 at a location where the link 166 crosses the link 140.

In order to more fully appreciate the details of the invention, a typical sequence of operations of this embodiment will now be described.

When the user is seated in the chair in the upright or sitting position'of FIG. 4 and leans backwardly, the bodysupportirig unit 114 is tilted rearwardly relative to the support toward the tilted position illustrated in FIG. 6. In response to such displacement, the spaced pivotal connections 142, 146 of the four-bar seat control linkage are moved rearwardly, with the link 136 turning about the pivotal mount 152 on the support in a direction such that the pivotal connections 144, 150 to one side thereof translate downwardly and the pivotal connection 164 at the other side thereof translates upwardly. The turning movement of link 136 about the pivotal mount 152 causes the requisite tilting movement to be imparted to the bodysupporting unit 1 14, and via'the respective link pairs 138, 140 and 134, 136, 160, 162 is effective to move the legrest into the elevated leg-supporting position as shown in FIG. 6. The rearward movement of the body-sup;

porting unit 114 is limited by the roller 122 entering the seating notch 1241:. The chair may be restored from the tilted position illustrated in FIG. 6 to the upright or sitting position shown in FIG. 4 by exerting a slight downward pressure against the leg-rest 120 and leaning forward in the chair to effect operation of the described linkages.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What I claim is:

1. In a reclining chair, a support, a body-supporting unit including a unitary back-rest and seat, means movably mounting said body-supporting unit on said support for movement into various reclined positions, a leg-rest disposed beneath the forward portion of said seat, and control means operatively connected between said forward portion of said body-supporting unit and said leg-rest for guiding said seat relative to said support and for moving said leg-rest upwardly and outwardly in response to movement of said seat relative to said support, said control means including a first link movable relative to said unitary back-rest and seat and having a first pivotal connection to said seat, a second link movable relative to said unitary back-rest and seat, said second link being spaced from said first link and having a second pivotal connection to said seat spaced from said first pivotal connection, a third link having respective pivotal connections to said first and second links at a point spaced from said first and second pivotal connections, a direct pivotal mount between said third link and said support, said first, second and third links and the portions of said seat intermediate said first and second pivotal connections constituting a four-bar control linkage for said seat, and means operatively connecting said control linkage to said legrest.

2. In a reclining chair, a support, a back-rest, means movably mounting said back-rest on said support for movement into various reclined positions, a seat pivotally connected to said back-rest and movable rearwardly relative to said support into various inclined positions in response to reclining movement of said back-rest, a legrest disposed beneath the forward portion of said seat, and control means operatively connected between said forward portion of said seat and said leg-rest for guiding said seat relative to said support into said various inclined positions and for moving said leg-rest upwardly and outwardly in response to movement of said seat relative to said support, said control means including a first link movable relative to said back-rest and having a first pivotal connection to said seat, a second link movable relative to said back-rest and spaced from said first link and having a second pivotal connection to said seat spaced from said first pivotal connection, a third link having respective pivotal connections to said first and second links at a point spaced from said first and second pivotal connections, a direct pivotal mount between said third link and said support, said first, second and third links and the portions of said seat intermediate said first and second pivotal connections constituting a four-bar control linkage for said seat, and means operatively connecting said control linkage to said leg-rest.

3. In a reclining chair including a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat, and means movably mounting said body-supporting means for movement relative to said support, the improvement comprising control means operatively connected to said seat for at least partially guiding the movement thereof including a four-bar control linkage having said seat of said bodysupporting means as a first movable link thereof, a second movable link movable relative to said back-rest and seat of said body-supporting means and pivotally connected to said seat at a first pivotal connection, a third movable link movable relative to said back-rest and seat of said body-supporting means and pivotally connected to said seat at a second pivotal connection spaced from said first pivotal connection, a fourth movable link pivotally connected to said second and third movable links at third and fourth pivotal connections spaced respectively from said first and second pivotal connections, and means mounting said fourth movable link at a pivotal mount on said support spaced from said seat.

4. In a reclining chair including a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat, and means movably mounting said body-supporting means for movement relative to said support, the improvement comprising a control linkage operatively connected to said seat for at least partially guiding the movement thereof including said seat of said body-supporting means as a first movable link thereof, a second movable link movable relative to said back-rest and seat of said body-supporting means, means pivotally connecting said second movable link to said seat at a first pivotal connection, a third movable link movable relative to said back-rest and seat of said body-supporting means, means pivotally connecting said third movable link to said seat at a second pivotal connection spaced from said first pivotal connection, a fourth movable link, means pivotally connecting said fourth movable link to said second and third movable links at third and fourth pivotal connections spaced respectively from said first and second pivotal connections, a fixed pivotal mount about which said fourth movable link turns relative to said support during movement of said control linkage, a leg-rest, and means actuated by said control means and movably mounting said leg-rest for movement from a retracted position beneath said seat to an extended leg-supporting position forwardly of said seat.

5. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat, rear guiding means operatively connected to said seat, and front guiding means operatively connected to said seat and cooperating with said rear guiding means to guide said seat, said front guiding means including a control linkage having said seat of said body-supporting means as one movable link thereof, a first control link movable relative to said back-rest and seat of said body-supporting means and pivotally connected to said seat at a first pivotal connection, a second control link movable relative to said back-rest and seat of said body-supporting means and pivotally connected to said seat at a second pivotal connection spaced from said first pivotal connection, a third control link, respective means pivotally connecting said third control link to said first and second control links at third and fourth pivotal connections spaced respectively from said first and second pivotal connections, and means operatively connected to and movably mounting said third control link on said support, said last named means including a pivotal mount about which said third control link turns relative to said support during the movement of said control linkage.

6. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat, rear guiding means operatively connected to said seat, and front guiding means operatively connected to said seat and co operating with said rear guiding means to guide said seat, said front guiding means including a four-bar control linkage having said seat of said body-supporting means as one movable link thereof, a first control link movable relative to said back-rest and seat of said bodysupporting means and pivotally connected to said seat at a first pivotal connection, a second control link movable relative to said back-rest and seat of said body-supporting means and pivotally connected to said seat at a second pivotal connection spaced from said first pivotal connection, a third control link pivotally connected to said first and second control links at third and fourth pivotal connections spaced respectively from said first and second pivotal connections, and a direct pivotal mount on said support mounting said third control link on said support for turning movement in response to movement of said control linkage.

7. A reclining chair according to claim 6 wherein said rear guide means includes a rear guiding link pivotally mounted on said support and pivotally connected to said body-supporting means.

8. In a reclining chair, a support, a back-rest, means movably mounting said back-rest on said support for movement into various reclined positions, a seat operatively connected to said back-rest and movable rearwardly relative to said support in response to reclining movement of said back-rest, a leg-rest disposed beneath the forward portion or" said seat, and control means operatively connected to said seat and said leg-rest for guiding said seat relative to said support and for moving said leg-rest upwardly and outwardly in response to movement of said seat relative to said support, said control means including a first link movable relative to said backrest and said seat and having a first pivotal connection to said seat, a second link movable relative to said backrest and said seat and spaced from said first link and having a second pivotal connection to said seat spaced from said first pivotal connection, a third link having respective pivotal connections to said first and second links at a point spaced from said first and second pivotal connections, a direct pivotal mount between said third link and said support, said first, second and third links and the portions of said seat intermediate said first and second pivotal connections constituting a four-bar control linkage for said seat, and means operatively connecting said control linkage to said leg-rest.

9. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat, rear guide means operatively connected to said seat and to said support, and front guiding means operatively connected to said seat and having said support as the stationary link thereof and cooperating with said rear guide means to guide said body-supporting means relative to said support, said front guiding means including a four bar control linkage having said seat of said body-supporting means as a first movable link thereof, a second link movable relative to said back-rest and seat of said body supporting means and pivotally connected to said seat at a front pivotal connection, a third link movable relative to said back-rest and seat of said body-supporting means and pivotally connected to said seat at a rear pivotal connection spaced rearwardly from said front pivotal connection, a fourth link pivotally connected to said second and third links at pivotal connections spaced on said fourth link and spaced from said front and rear pivotal connections, means mounting said fourth link at a fixed pivotal mount on said support about which said fourth link turns relative to said support during movement of said control linkage, a leg-rest, and leg-rest mounting means actuated by said control linkage and movably mounting said leg-rest for movement from a retracted position beneath said seat to an extended legsupporting position forwardly of said seat, said leg-rest mounting means including first and second pairs of mounting links, means operatively connecting the first mounting link of each of said first and second pairs of mounting links to said leg-rest, one of said pairs of mounting links including a link of said control linkage as the second mounting link thereof, and means operatively interconnecting said first and second pairs for coordinated movement.

10. A reclining chair comprising a support, a bodysupporting unit including a rigidly connected back-rest and seat, rear guide means operatively connected to said seat and to said support, and front guiding means operatively connected to said seat and having said support as the stationary link thereof and cooperating with said rear guide means to guide said body-supporting unit relative to said support, said front guiding means including a four bar control linkage having said seat of said body-supporting unit as a first movable link thereof, a second link movable relative to said unitary back-rest and seat of said body-supporting unit and pivotally connected to said seat at a front pivotal connection, a third link movable relative to said unitary back-rest and seat of said bodysupporting unit and pivotally connected to said seat at a rear pivotal connection spaced rearwardly from said front pivotal connection, a fourth link pivotally connected to said second and third links at pivotal connections spaced on said fourth link and spaced from said front and rear pivotal connections, a direct pivotal mount on said support mounting said fourth link on said support for turning movement in response to movement of said control linkage, a leg-rest, and leg-rest mounting means actuated by said control linkage and movably mounting said leg-rest for movement from a retracted position beneath said seat to an extended leg-supporting position forwardly of said seat, said leg-rest mounting means including first and second pairs of mounting links, means pivotally connecting the first mounting link of each of said first and second pairs of mounting links to said leg-rest, one of said pairs of mounting links including said second link of said control linkage as the second mounting link thereof, the second mounting link of the other of said pairs having a pivotal mount on a link of said front guide means, and means operatively interconnecting said first and second pairs for coordinated movement, said coordinating means including a pivotal connection between the first mounting link of the other of said pairs.

11. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat pivotally connected for turning movement relative to each other, rear guide means operatively connected to said seat and to said support, and front guiding means operatively connected to said seat and having said support as the stationary link thereof and cooperating with said rear guide means to guide said body-supporting means relative to said support, said front guiding means including a four bar control linkage having said seat of said body-supporting means as a first movable link thereof, a second link movable relative to said pivotally connected backrest and seat of said body-supporting means and pivotally connected to said seat at a front pivotal connection, a third link movable relative to said pivotally connected back-rest and seat of said body-supporting means and pivotally connected to said seat at a rear pivotal connection spaced rearwardly from said front pivotal con nection, a fourth link pivotally connected to said second and third links at pivotal connections spaced on said fourth link and spaced from said front and rear pivotal connections, a direct pivotal mount on said support mounting said fourth link on said support for turning movement in response to movement of said control linkage, a legrest, and leg-rest mounting means actuated by said control linkage and movably mounting said leg-rest for movement from a retracted position beneath said seat to an extended leg-supporting position forwardly of said seat, said leg-rest mounting means including first and second pairs of mounting links, means operatively connecting the first mounting link of each of said first and second pairs of mounting links to said leg-rest, one of said pairs of mounting links including a link of said control linkage as the second mounting link thereof, the second mounting link of the other of said pairs having pairs for coordinated movement, said coordinating means means operatively interconnecting said first and second pairs of coordinated movement, said coordinating means including a pivotal connection between the first mounting link of one of said pairs and the second mounting link of the other of said pairs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,266,055 Luckhardt et al Dec. 16, 1941 2,760,554 Lorenz Aug. 28, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 539,276 Belgium July 15, 1955 

